Improvement in steering propellers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

E. G. E owLEE, 0E NORWALK, CONNECTICUT,

IMPROVEMENT IN STEERING PROPELLER-S.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 98,483, dated January 4, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F. Gr. FOWLER, of Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements on a Steering-Propeller; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional -plan view. Fig. 4 is a plan view of steering apparatus. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of eccentric, eccentricstraps, and arms. Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of the same.

Similar letters of `reference indicate like parts.

To better enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will first refer to the original invention, to which these improvements relate. It is a submerged marine propeller or feathering sculling-wheel. It consists of a vertical shaft, a, from which proceed horizontal arms a', to the extremities of which are attached blades a by pivots placed on their vertical central line. These blades oscillate on their pivots, as the propeller revolves, in such a manner that they exert a propelling force throughout their entire circuit, except when passing two points or centers, n m, Fig. 3, when they are neutral. This oscillating motion is produced by an eccentric, c, with which each blade is connected, andthe propelling force is exerted in the direction in which the short radius of the eccentric extends. By suitable connections between the eccentric and helm c w s s the steersman is enabled to turn the eccentric, and thereby cast the propelling force to any point of the compass, by which means he is enabled not only to move the boat forward and backward in a direct line, but to steer it gradually to the right or left, or in a very short curve, or cause it to turn in either direction, on its own center, and in its own length of water, the said arrangement serving the treble purpose of propeller, rudder, and reversing-gear, besides admitting of some maneuvering that neither of the above-named devices, or all three of them combined, could accomplish.

The nature of my invention consists, rst, in so arranging the propeller that when Vthe engine is on its centers the propeller-blades ,y

will be on their centers or neutral points; and, when the engine is in the middle of its stroke, the propeller-blades will be at their point of greatest resistance, thereby equalizing the power of the engine and resistance of the propeller, and causing the same to run with a uniform motion; second, in so arranging the propeller that the blades are made to serve the purpose of a rudder, and steer the boat when the same is being propelled by sail only; third, in so connecting the helm to the main shaft that the boat can be steered by turning the helm when the boat is propelled by sail only fourth, in so connectingthe helm to the main shaft that the steersman, by turn ing the helm, is enabled to start the engine off the centers; fifth, in arranging the eccentric-straps one inside the other, so as to obviate friction and resistance in the water.

Having described the general application of my invention, I will now proceed to explain its construction and operation.

The device by which the power ofthe engine and resistance ofthe propeller are equalized, or made to correspond, will be understood by reference to Fig. 8. Arrow l indicates the line of the vessels keel, and in which the engine extends; arrow 2, the direction in which the propeller rotates; a, the shaft; a', the arms; a, the blades. The dotted lines show the comparative resistance and different positions ofthe blades at the different points in their circuit, the resistance being greatest where they are most remote from each other,-

and nothing where they converge to a point. The arms of the propeller are attached, at right angles, to the crank of the engine, the arrangement being such that when the crank is on its centers, or parallel with arrow l, the blades will be on their centers, as at nm,-

and when the crank is in the middle of its/y stroke the. blades will be at their point of greatest resistance, as at p q. It is thus seen, by observing the different positions assumed by the crank andblades, respectively, that the resistance of the blades will correspond to the power of the engine throughout their entire circuit.

The mechanical device by which the propeller is made toY steer the boat, when the same is being towed or driven by sail, will be under stood by reference to Fig. 4. Arrow 1 indi cates the line ofthe vessels keel, and the line of the engine; arrow 2, the direction in which the propeller revolves; a, the main shaft; a', the arms; a, the blades; B, an arm or bar, firmly keyed to the main shaft, having an aperture, x, and pawl y at its extremity. w is a gear-wheel, beinga large horizontal spurwheel, which is firmly attached to the upper end ofthe sleeve c, and which has an aperture, av', and notch y', which corresponds and coincides with the aperture and pawl of the starting-bar B.

The operation is as follows: The engine is stopped on its centers, when the blades will be on their centers, and the arms at right angles to the keel. A rod or pin is now passed through the apertures a* and w', by which means the main shaft a, sleeve o, arms a', blades a, and gear-wheel fw are all bound together, and made to move as a solid body. By turning the helm the propeller will becaused to rotate, and may be made to assume the position indicated by the dotted lines b, and the boat will be steered to the right. By turning the helm in the opposite direction the propeller may be made to assume the position indicated by the dotted lines d, and the boat will be steered to the left, thus making the propeller serve the purpose of a rudder when the engine is not ruiming.

The device by which the steersman is enabled to start the engine oi the centers will be understood by reference to Fig. 4, in which y represents a loosely-fitting pawl at the extremity of the bar B, and y a corresponding tooth or notch on the gear-wheel. The operation is as follows: When the engine is stopped on the centers, let the helm be turned so that the gear-wheel will revolve in the ,direction in which the propeller revolves, or that indicated by arrow 2, Fig. 3.` As the pawl is brought over the notch it falls into it by its gravity; and if the helm be further turned the engine will be started oii its center, the bar and main shaft being carried around with the gearwheel. As soon as the engine starts, the pawl will be withdrawn from the notch and ride freelyaround on the gear-wheel. It must be borne in mind that the gear-wheel must be made to revolve in the direction in which the propeller revolves, and that the engine cannot be reversed, the backing of the boat being accomplished by reversing the eccentric by turning the helm.

The arrangement of the eccentric-straps will be understood by reference to Figs. 5 and 6, representing, respectively, a bottom view and sectional side elevation, in which e represents the eccentric; e', the inside strap; e, the outside strap; 6', the eccentric-arms; u, a notch or way, which allows one of the eccentric-arms" to connect with the inside strap.

The notch u is formed by cutting away a portion of the outside strap, and is made a little wider than the arm which passes through it.

What l claim as new and useful, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The arm B, pawl 1, notches y', apertures a; and au', all arranged and operating in the manner and for the purpose as shown and described.

2. Arranging the eccentric-straps one in side the other, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, so as to diminish their resistance in the water, as specied.

3. The notch fu., arranged-as and 'for th purpose specified.

F. e. FowLER.

Witnesses:

HENRY H. SELLwK, WILLIAM T. GRAW. 

